After my last post we had a closer look at the weather forecast and decided the Chamonix mountains where a better place to be.

We had heard talk of the Grand Jorasses may be in prime condition but could find no info any where on any recent assents. It was time for us to go and have a wee look for ourselves. “A wee look” being six hours of glacial shuffling, crevasse jumping and general up hill struggling with a big bag.

As we got into the base of the Grand Jorasses all looked good with some fine white lines streaking down the face. We cut out a bivi spot directly under the route and settled down for a cold night with a 0330 wake up call.

Leaving the bivi at 0430 we attacked the direct start to the Croz Spur, 2hrs latter, we still had only just made it over the bergshrund. Bullet hard ice and a large helping of soft snow had us retreating before to long. It does look white and good up there but most of it is stuck on snow hiding some hard black ice.

Kenny and I have decide it is not N. Face action time just now and are looking more towards sunny mountain rock. We need to make the most of this stunning weather just now and hiding in cold, snowy, dark mountain faces is not what’s called for!

We are now well practiced in the art of Crevasse dodging and stream jumping!

Hiking into the Grand Jorasses

Kenny Grant below the Grand Jorasses (at this point it was looking all good)